Wabash Valley Romps Past Logan Nine

April 11, 2014

BY JOHN D. HOMANLogan Media Services

CARTERVILLE – Poor fielding and even worse pitching led to a lopsided loss Thursday for the John A. Logan College baseball team. Visiting Wabash Valley drubbed the Volunteers, 14-3, in Great Rivers Athletic Conference play.

With the loss, Logan falls out of first place in the league at 10-6, one game behind the Warriors who are now 11-5. Lincoln Trail College has also pulled even with Logan in the win column.

Vols’ starting pitcher Joey Marciano (6-2) took the loss. The freshman struggled with his command and exited the game after three innings, allowing five runs, all in the third inning.

Trailing 7-1 in the fourth inning with the only run being a solo homer off the bat of Joba Ferrell, Logan put together four consecutive hits to make it 7-2 and had the bases loaded with only one out, but failed to score additional runs as Walker Owens and Zach Ditto struck out to end the frame.

“All you have to do is look at the linescore,” said JALC head coach Jerry Halstead. “They had 14 runs on 10 hits and one error. We had three runs on 10 hits with three errors. Their pitching showed up. Ours didn’t. We had a couple of walks and booted the ball a couple of times. Mix in a hit and they have two or three runs. We load the bases, need a hit and can’t get it.”

Halstead said what bothered him the most was playing so poorly with first place on the line.

“That was the most disheartening thing,” he said. “We’re coming off two wins against Shawnee the day before and have our No. 1 pitcher going today and really nobody showed up.”

Now 18-15 overall, Logan travels to Mount Carmel Saturday to play a doubleheader against Wabash Valley. The Vols could regain first place with a sweep.